What this class covers
ANZSIC class 0805 categorises Australian businesses primarily engaged in mining mineral sands, excluding iron sand. This classification covers the extraction of heavy mineral sands containing valuable commodities like titanium minerals (ilmenite, rutile), zircon, and rare earth-bearing minerals (monazite). These operations typically occur in coastal or ancient shoreline deposits where wave action has concentrated the heavy minerals.
In practice, this includes operations ranging from large-scale mining corporations to specialized sand mining enterprises. Examples include a Western Australian operation dredging ilmenite-rich sands for titanium pigment production, a Queensland facility mining zircon sands for ceramic applications, or a Victorian operation producing synthetic rutile through processing mineral sands. The classification applies whether mining occurs through dredging, dry mining, or other extraction methods, and includes on-site processing activities like mineral separation.
Primary activities in plain English
Businesses in this class typically engage in one or more of the following activities:
- Mining ilmenite sand, which is a primary source of titanium dioxide used in pigments
- Extracting rutile sand, another titanium mineral valued for its high titanium content
- Mining zircon sand, used extensively in ceramics and refractory applications
- Recovering monazite sand, which contains rare earth elements
- Mining leucoxene sand, an alteration product of ilmenite
- Producing synthetic rutile through chemical processing of ilmenite
- Operating mineral separation plants that process mined sands to extract valuable minerals
Exclusions and nearby codes
This class specifically excludes iron sand mining operations, which would be classified elsewhere in the ANZSIC system. Businesses engaged in mining metallic minerals other than those specified (such as gold, silver, or base metal ores) would fall under other classes within Division B (Mining) or Subdivision 08 (Metal Ore Mining).
The classification maps to Business Industry Code (BIC) 8050 for taxation purposes, and corresponds to ISIC Rev. 4 code 0729p (Mining of other non-ferrous metal ores) for international comparisons. It replaced the previous ASIC 1993 classification 1315 (Mineral Sand Mining) when ANZSIC was introduced.
Practical guidance
When registering your business, accurately selecting ANZSIC 0805 ensures proper classification for ABN registration, tax reporting, and industry statistics. This classification determines your Business Industry Code (BIC 8050) for tax purposes, which may affect your GST reporting obligations and eligibility for certain tax treatments specific to mining operations.
Workers' compensation premiums in Australia are often calculated based on industry risk classifications, and mineral sand mining typically falls under higher-risk categories due to the nature of mining operations. Additionally, businesses in this classification may need to comply with specific environmental regulations and reporting requirements administered by state mining and environmental agencies. Certain government grants or incentives for the mining sector may also reference ANZSIC classifications when determining eligibility.